Carousel

The Carousel, with its magnificent horses is one of the Park's most popular attractions.
 

The famous ride has been very popular since 1871 when the original attraction opened. At first, the Carousel was not received positively; the park commissioners objected to having commercial enterprises in the park. However, since it was such a success, they eventually realized the potential value of the ride’s revenue. The first Carousel remained in operation until 1924 and was powered by a mule and horse who walked in a hidden compartment underground below the attraction. The animals were trained to start and stop with a foot tap from the ride’s operator above ground. The next two Carousels in the park were steam-powered and both destroyed by fire. In 1950, the Department of Parks and Recreation began to search for a replacement and they found one abandoned in an old trolley terminal in Brooklyn’s Coney Island. Originally crafted in 1908 the current Carousel is one of the nation's largest merry-go-rounds and it remains one of the finest examples of American folk art as well as one of the largest carousels in the United States. The current carousel, has 57 hand-carved horses – 52 jumpers and 5 standers – and two chariots with a Ruth & Sohn band organ playing waltzes, marches, and polkas. It is open seven days a week when weather permits, and serves around 250,000 riders every year. The carousel was notably mentioned in J.D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye and models of Central Park at Legoland Florida and Legoland California include the carousel.

Location: Mid-Park at 65th Street